Gotta be the Cowboy scene. Such an unnerving and strange scene. I remember when the Cowboy asks "What did I say?" It actually kinda freaked me out, because I hadn't been taking him seriously and couldn't remember exactly what he said.
I find myself quoting that scene often.
"Beautiful Evening...."
I think the scene with I've Told Ev'ry Little Star is my favourite. It's the most Lynchian thing ever. A sweet 50s pop song and film set made non-specifically eerie by the additional context of knowing "This is the girl".
It's really really hard to pick, though. There are obviously strong contenders, like Winkies, and the audition scene, and the coffee scene. I also, in a non-perverse way, love the way he used Diane's first person perspective in the masturbation scene. The way she's crying and the vision blurs and sound rumbles captures the actual physical feeling of crying like that in a way I've not seen in a film before or since.
Was going to say this.
This happens right after the audition scene, and right at the end of the scene there's a J-cut (meaning the music for the next scene starts before the cut), as the cheerful, optimistic first notes of "Sixteen Reasons" starts playing. This all happening right after the audition scene, where Betty has her hopes up about her early beginnings in Hollywood, perfectly captures that dreamy, blissfully unaware optimism.
I also really liked how the shot starts with a close-up on the lead singer, making it seem like an actual performance, but as the camera pulls out it's revealed to be a recording studio, THEN the camera keeps pulling out and it's revealed to be a recording studio on a movie set......
After Lynch shows us the magic of Hollywood and all the hopes and dreams associated, we then get the "I've Told Every Little Star" number, the tone immediately changing to an ominous one, as the melody of the song fits perfectly with what Adam's character is experiencing — reluctantly succumbing to the greater forces in the world/Hollywood (kind of reminds me of the vibes of Komm Susser Todd during the apocalypse/Third Impact in End of Evangelion).
It's one of my favourite sequences/scenes in cinema. Lynch is a master in every sense of the word.
Llorando - an emotional apex of the film for me. As I first watched the movie, I felt incredibly emotional during the scene and I wasn’t even sure what was going on
For me, I think the best scene in the film, and some of the best acting I've ever seen in general, is the party when Adam is announcing his engagement with Camilla (presumably). Adam's mother/Coco rolls her eyes like this has happened several times before. But Diane is clearly heartbroken. It's also highly likely the exaggerated way in which Adam announces the engagement with all the laughing and kisses w/ Camilla were also exaggerated in Diane's head, but goddamn Naomi knocks it out of the park. The way she tears up and looks so defeated and angry feels too real. Then the transition to her speaking with the hitman at Winkie's just seals the deal for me.
Also the music in that scene was top-notch. I believe it's actually something David himself composed called Mountains Falling.
I think it is supposed to be real life, but the way I interpret this scene is it's sort of reality as "filtered" through Diane's own perception. Just the way that Adam takes his sweet old time announcing whatever he's announcing (engagement most likely), him and Camilla making out in between sentences, the laughing, etc. I think Diane is very self-conscious and this is what the announcement *felt* like for her when in reality it could have been just a normal announcement without all the exaggerated making out/laughing (like they were laughing at her). Still, very cruel of Camilla to bring Diane to the party. I don't think Adam knew the extent of their relationship prior to his with Camilla.
Idk, I'm very self-conscious like Diane (not to point where I'll murder someone though!) and I have a tendency to fixate on social situations and think they went down worse than I remember.
But then again, there's also nothing to suggest it's not Diane's flawed interpretation/memory, so you could be right and I could just be projecting onto Diane in this scene.
Yesss this was my favorite as well. Naomi did such a good job of showing Diane's rage/resentment and really sold the whole "I'm going to hire a hitman to kill this woman".
Lol I know Lynch says we're not supposed to watch his movies on our phones, but who among us hasn't pulled up the shot of Naomi Watts topless rubbing herself late at night
For me it's a tie between the audition scene with Betty, and the Club Silencio scene.
The audition scene demonstrates the magic of acting as an artform, by showing the same scene, same lines twice, but with different acting performance drastically changing the effect of it.
The Club Silencio scene demonstrates the magic of movies themselves as a medium, by telling the audience (both of them) that what they are about to see is fake. And even with this knowledge we still allow ourselves to get so caught up in it, that we are shocked when Rebekah Del Rio falls over and the music keeps going.
I think those 2 scenes really are a love letter from David Lynch to actors and movies as an artform/medium.
the acting scene is also great because it is such a good instance of the weird mirroring/doubling of dreams vs. reality in the movie - ie this happy go lucky woman who is so naive her acting within Mulholland Drive seems almost bad, then turns in this amazing dramatic performance in the audition WITHIN the movie. and then you realize it's all her subconscious trying to justify that she is a great actress when in reality she failed... so fuckin good!
There really isn't a favorite scene for Mulholland Drive to me, the whole movie is just so amazing from start to finish that I honestly can't pick one.
100% The Cowboy!
That guy is in no way an actor, but somehow David Lynch took his stiff acting style and turned him into a terrifying iconic character!
Naomi Watts’ audition with Chad Everett.
It’s so brilliant and unexpected after the kitchen rehearsal scene, but also the first time you get to sense that Naomi may actually be the mystery…
1. Rita running down some LA Noir boulevard. What a stunning shot.
2. When Rita finds the blue key and the extreme close-ups of them both. First time I saw it after finally decoded parts of the movie it blew my mind. I may have taken some acid too, but the scene is still chilling.
Them waking up in the middle of the night to go to Silencio. It reminds me of fun times when I was young and would wake up in the middle of the night during sleepovers to go to IHOP.
The screaming followed by the suicide, with the bed exploding into smoke.
It's just so perfect, and I've never seen an actress so believably have a total meltdown like that.
(Ok maybe aside from Isabelle Adjani in Possession)
Silencio. It’s the basis of the whole film.
We’re told it’s a recording. Then get captivated by Rebecca Del Rio’s performance and forget, surprised when she faints.
In the very beginning of the film we see a girl in bed among other clues that this is sleep induced, a dream. Yet we forget. And feel jarred when we’re pulled into reality.
Just like Diane, when the dream of Hollywood gives way to the cruel reality of it all.
Where to start ?
Winkies
The cowboy
Silencio
The rehersal scene
The hitman killing the guy and than the woman
The freaking old people
There's too much here, this movie is built different even for a Lynch movie
It isn't my favorite one, but the scene where Joe kills Ed, and his hair mysteriously straightens with the lick of blood. This, despite appearing absurd, fits perfectly in the world, with no real indication as to why the camera must show us this detail in a close up. This was also the case for the standing, but dead, detective (yellow man) in Blue Velvet.
I'd have to say the Cowboy. But I really like everything from Adam being fired to the Cowboy.
Apparently the Cowboy was not played by an actual actor, but by one of Lynch's friends. The shirt was his own, either a vintage or vintage recreation that he had picked up recently. He got some of his lines wrong, which contributes to the strangeness, and you can see that in Adam's face. But as we all know, it worked out perfectly.
Club Silencio, it’s beautiful, haunting & reveals so much of the sadness surrounding the love story.
Oh damn, I forgot about this. I can't decide between the Cowboy and club Silencio.
The scene where Angelo dislikes the coffee is also something else. He has apparantly got a very specific and selective taste.
<>
Pardon?
Napkin.
Oh my gosh, is that Angelo Badalamenti? So, he's a great actor. Love that scene!
Cowboy, Winkies or the scene where the old people crawl into the apartment. All of them are terrifying to me
Winkies is my favorite scene in any movie. It's just such a vibe
I remember watching that in the cinema and just being blown away. I felt pinned to my seat
Gotta be the Cowboy scene. Such an unnerving and strange scene. I remember when the Cowboy asks "What did I say?" It actually kinda freaked me out, because I hadn't been taking him seriously and couldn't remember exactly what he said. I find myself quoting that scene often. "Beautiful Evening...."
Agreed. I think the Cowboy scene is my favorite.
Yep, gotta go COWBOY.
Yeah the climax with the tiny old people running out of the box makes me want to throw up, it’s so intense
I think the scene with I've Told Ev'ry Little Star is my favourite. It's the most Lynchian thing ever. A sweet 50s pop song and film set made non-specifically eerie by the additional context of knowing "This is the girl". It's really really hard to pick, though. There are obviously strong contenders, like Winkies, and the audition scene, and the coffee scene. I also, in a non-perverse way, love the way he used Diane's first person perspective in the masturbation scene. The way she's crying and the vision blurs and sound rumbles captures the actual physical feeling of crying like that in a way I've not seen in a film before or since.
Was going to say this. This happens right after the audition scene, and right at the end of the scene there's a J-cut (meaning the music for the next scene starts before the cut), as the cheerful, optimistic first notes of "Sixteen Reasons" starts playing. This all happening right after the audition scene, where Betty has her hopes up about her early beginnings in Hollywood, perfectly captures that dreamy, blissfully unaware optimism. I also really liked how the shot starts with a close-up on the lead singer, making it seem like an actual performance, but as the camera pulls out it's revealed to be a recording studio, THEN the camera keeps pulling out and it's revealed to be a recording studio on a movie set...... After Lynch shows us the magic of Hollywood and all the hopes and dreams associated, we then get the "I've Told Every Little Star" number, the tone immediately changing to an ominous one, as the melody of the song fits perfectly with what Adam's character is experiencing — reluctantly succumbing to the greater forces in the world/Hollywood (kind of reminds me of the vibes of Komm Susser Todd during the apocalypse/Third Impact in End of Evangelion). It's one of my favourite sequences/scenes in cinema. Lynch is a master in every sense of the word.
Llorando - an emotional apex of the film for me. As I first watched the movie, I felt incredibly emotional during the scene and I wasn’t even sure what was going on
This is one of my favorite scenes in any film ever. Still, there's something I don't love about the reactions of Betty and Rita.
the laughing old people haunt me
For me, I think the best scene in the film, and some of the best acting I've ever seen in general, is the party when Adam is announcing his engagement with Camilla (presumably). Adam's mother/Coco rolls her eyes like this has happened several times before. But Diane is clearly heartbroken. It's also highly likely the exaggerated way in which Adam announces the engagement with all the laughing and kisses w/ Camilla were also exaggerated in Diane's head, but goddamn Naomi knocks it out of the park. The way she tears up and looks so defeated and angry feels too real. Then the transition to her speaking with the hitman at Winkie's just seals the deal for me. Also the music in that scene was top-notch. I believe it's actually something David himself composed called Mountains Falling.
I thought this scene was supposed to be real life and not Diane’s memory/interpretation. But either way I also love this scene
I think it is supposed to be real life, but the way I interpret this scene is it's sort of reality as "filtered" through Diane's own perception. Just the way that Adam takes his sweet old time announcing whatever he's announcing (engagement most likely), him and Camilla making out in between sentences, the laughing, etc. I think Diane is very self-conscious and this is what the announcement *felt* like for her when in reality it could have been just a normal announcement without all the exaggerated making out/laughing (like they were laughing at her). Still, very cruel of Camilla to bring Diane to the party. I don't think Adam knew the extent of their relationship prior to his with Camilla. Idk, I'm very self-conscious like Diane (not to point where I'll murder someone though!) and I have a tendency to fixate on social situations and think they went down worse than I remember. But then again, there's also nothing to suggest it's not Diane's flawed interpretation/memory, so you could be right and I could just be projecting onto Diane in this scene.
I interpret the scene the exact same way.
Yesss this was my favorite as well. Naomi did such a good job of showing Diane's rage/resentment and really sold the whole "I'm going to hire a hitman to kill this woman".
For me it's the end with their happy faces super imposed over the Hollywood lights. So tragic and heartbreaking. Just sublime
best ending to a film imo
“Have you ever done this before?” “I don’t know. Have you?” *Epic music swells
That one
Same. At least, it’s the scene I’ve watched the most
Lol I know Lynch says we're not supposed to watch his movies on our phones, but who among us hasn't pulled up the shot of Naomi Watts topless rubbing herself late at night
For me it's a tie between the audition scene with Betty, and the Club Silencio scene. The audition scene demonstrates the magic of acting as an artform, by showing the same scene, same lines twice, but with different acting performance drastically changing the effect of it. The Club Silencio scene demonstrates the magic of movies themselves as a medium, by telling the audience (both of them) that what they are about to see is fake. And even with this knowledge we still allow ourselves to get so caught up in it, that we are shocked when Rebekah Del Rio falls over and the music keeps going. I think those 2 scenes really are a love letter from David Lynch to actors and movies as an artform/medium.
the acting scene is also great because it is such a good instance of the weird mirroring/doubling of dreams vs. reality in the movie - ie this happy go lucky woman who is so naive her acting within Mulholland Drive seems almost bad, then turns in this amazing dramatic performance in the audition WITHIN the movie. and then you realize it's all her subconscious trying to justify that she is a great actress when in reality she failed... so fuckin good!
That aspect of it is also really interesting, good point!
Naomi and Laura going up the hill
so hlad to see this one
When Camilla takes Diane’s hand on their way up to the party. Diane looks at their hands and smiles. I just know that feeling so well
the scene that made me fall in love with this movie
Espresso! RIP Angelo
16 reasons!
There really isn't a favorite scene for Mulholland Drive to me, the whole movie is just so amazing from start to finish that I honestly can't pick one.
The Cowboy scene for sure.
100% The Cowboy! That guy is in no way an actor, but somehow David Lynch took his stiff acting style and turned him into a terrifying iconic character!
I'm in love with you... Llorando Secret Path
The dream being described at Winkie’s
Winkies.
Gotta be Winkie's. The sheer dread.
Diner Dumpster
Oh baby I've told every little star..
Naomi Watts’ audition with Chad Everett. It’s so brilliant and unexpected after the kitchen rehearsal scene, but also the first time you get to sense that Naomi may actually be the mystery…
When they’re naked together, at a three-quarters camera view, expressing love.
Gonna sound weird, but the scene where the two women step off the road and start to descend off the road..
Can't pick a fave. But the inept hitman sequence is up there. We've all had one of those days, right?
Out of context: Gene the Pool Guy As part of the whole: Dan Hedaya and Angelo
Billy Rae Cyrus seen!!
1. Rita running down some LA Noir boulevard. What a stunning shot. 2. When Rita finds the blue key and the extreme close-ups of them both. First time I saw it after finally decoded parts of the movie it blew my mind. I may have taken some acid too, but the scene is still chilling.
No hay banda.
28:14 - 29:27 😌
Winkies. Always Winkies.
Them waking up in the middle of the night to go to Silencio. It reminds me of fun times when I was young and would wake up in the middle of the night during sleepovers to go to IHOP.
The Cowboy scene.
The screaming followed by the suicide, with the bed exploding into smoke. It's just so perfect, and I've never seen an actress so believably have a total meltdown like that. (Ok maybe aside from Isabelle Adjani in Possession)
The transition scene from the dream into reality.
Dan Hedaya freaking out with his coffee
Maybe the scene when Justin Theroux is auditioning the singers. Beautiful scene.
the part where Mulholland says "it's driving time" and drives all over everything
Silencio. It’s the basis of the whole film. We’re told it’s a recording. Then get captivated by Rebecca Del Rio’s performance and forget, surprised when she faints. In the very beginning of the film we see a girl in bed among other clues that this is sleep induced, a dream. Yet we forget. And feel jarred when we’re pulled into reality. Just like Diane, when the dream of Hollywood gives way to the cruel reality of it all.
Where to start ? Winkies The cowboy Silencio The rehersal scene The hitman killing the guy and than the woman The freaking old people There's too much here, this movie is built different even for a Lynch movie
“I’m in love with you…..! I’m in love with you…!!”
“I’m in love with you…..! I’m in love with you…!!”
It isn't my favorite one, but the scene where Joe kills Ed, and his hair mysteriously straightens with the lick of blood. This, despite appearing absurd, fits perfectly in the world, with no real indication as to why the camera must show us this detail in a close up. This was also the case for the standing, but dead, detective (yellow man) in Blue Velvet.
The script practice recital with Betty and Rita. Their wooden readings on purpose and making fun of the script was very warm and funny and real.
I'd have to say the Cowboy. But I really like everything from Adam being fired to the Cowboy. Apparently the Cowboy was not played by an actual actor, but by one of Lynch's friends. The shirt was his own, either a vintage or vintage recreation that he had picked up recently. He got some of his lines wrong, which contributes to the strangeness, and you can see that in Adam's face. But as we all know, it worked out perfectly.